Ramadhan 2005

Like past years, I decided to play safe again by starting my Ramadhan as Singapore starts its. Finding details of Ramadhan is simply as much a hassle as finding out just about any other information one might need when one is in Hobart. This is because this part of the world is simply too isolated for just about anything. Yes, indeed. The geographic location of Hobart has long led to a lowly populated and un-growing community. And until today it contributes to a far less supply for many a thing, yet a place still liveable nevertheless, and one whose people are easily forgiving, simply understanding and plainly tolerant towards this entire ‘remote’ situation. So like the unavailability of many things in this place, the lack of access to information source on Islamic events is only reasonable, considering it far less important than those sources of information ever fancied by the mainstream community.

Hah! The above is plainly an exaggeration of things! Well, it’s not that bad actually. There are at least two ways I can find out about Ramadhan and confirm details of other Islamic events here. The former Imam Uncle Sabri, and some fellow Muslim uni students are only a call away. And then there is also the Internet available at all times at uni (7 mins walk from home), though sometimes I lost trust in the information the Internet provides. You and I know that inaccuracy of details occur in just about any WebPages. And the Islamic Finder, although well established and well consulted is one such instance for it can sometimes confuse me with the variation of Daylight Savings. The local newspaper can be considered a source to Islamic info too but it is limited to just Islamic prayer times and nothing more than that. And even sometimes details of prayer times provided can be a bit of a mismatch to the time of the day. So I got quite sceptical of that. It’s all a big mess. Hence resorting to Singapore to confirm details of any Islamic stuff, particularly the start and end of Ramadhan, seems to be the best option given my laziness and can’t-be-stuffed attitude to ask around even if it means via the mobile phone.

Ramadhan as you probably would already know is an Islamic obligation in which submitters fast during the daylight hours. As its simplified English version, Ramadhan is more commonly referred to as the 'fasting month' amongst Singaporeans though 'fasting month' does not fully correspond to the meaning of Ramadhan. I personally prefer to refer to this special month as Ramadhan instead. Also particularly because I discover that its original term is more commonly referred to and is better understood internationally (even amongst non-Muslims) than the vague 'fasting month' that may also be referring to a ritual practise carried out by extreme Buddhist monks in Japan.

I started my Ramadhan at the end of Tuesday of uni Week 12 though my personal count begins Wednesday. Ramadhan in Singapore started on Tuesday night too. On that night I did some prayers, read some short chapters of the Quran, and stayed up all night – a method I so desire to carry out so as not to miss the 3am ‘feeding time’ given the lack of option to rely on anyone else (as people around me are basically non-Muslim). Besides it wouldn’t make much sense to ask these people to ensure that I get up at odd hours just to eat ‘breakfast’. Those hours are after all the time when the rest of Hobartians are fast asleep (of course except those who’re still out drinking!).

Ramadhan in Tas as I have experienced for the past 3 years is to a certain extent harder than Ramadhan in Singapore. Ramadhan here is accompanied with many different challenges, one in particular considering a lack of motivation that submitters in Singapore get readily from the society: the surrounding and even the media. In Singapore not only the breaking of fast with family and friends and the night prayers at mosques make Ramadhan enjoyable, but also the decorations, fairgrounds, and, feasting that are carried out almost everywhere in the country throughout the month help create a motivating atmosphere for all submitters.

The atmosphere in Tas is very different. There is no similar spirit shared by everyone else living around the Muslims and thus there is no motivation other than to create one amongst the submitters (or by a submitter individually) in order to help them ‘keep going’. Sometimes what could even be killing is to know that at the end of the month submitters like me, a Muslim overseas student, just don't get to celebrate the end of Ramadhan in a celebratory manner that I have always been used to. Having said that, my exams ends on the 31st Oct and that means I still have time to go back and celebrate Aidilfitri :)

Another significant effort needed when carrying out Ramadhan here is, apart from having to wake up early ALONE just to cook ALONE, eat ALONE and clean ALONE, I am also my sole dependence in preparing of food for the break. I usually start preparing food an hour before Maghrib (sunset) but that is also the time when I’m usually half-dead. Unlike in Singapore mum has to be (or rather is expected to be!) the strongest person because all preparation for the breaking of fast is relied primarily on her. The rest of us usually contribute only a small part of it, resting around on sofas most of the other times. But today I am my mum. Similar to the duties she would carry out on Ramadhan, I ensure that I cook something slightly different too; something more exquisite or more delicious, even if it means having to think hard for ideas and cooking for only myself. And because of the desire for a variety of dishes, particularly those different from ordinary daily meals, I tend to spend more money on groceries in Ramadhan when I should actually be saving more.

Though Ramadhan in Hobart seems to take up a lot of effort on myself, by myself, it is nevertheless an average amount of effort required on the other ordinary days. I am in spite of everything living independently overseas – a situation hard to describe and one only clearly understood and greatly felt amongst fellow overseas students. But this experience is good though as it is to a great deal constructive especially with regards to my future self. It tries me out on real situations where I can roughly gauge where I stand as an adult and the extent to which I could carry out duties submissively, without having to rely on others - basically an early assessment on my current inner strength. Hopefully this will help determine the amount of effort I need to put in before others can start to count on me. In the end it is not only for myself but also for the rest of the people who will fall under my responsibility in future.

Believing that I am after all on the safe side of the Islamic calendar, I shall continue fasting till the end of Ramadhan according to the estimation for Singapore. Ramadhan will not get any easy as daylight hours will continue to extend extensively as Summer approaches. This also means that sunshine can be scorching hot, and the surrounding climate in Hobart can be very dry. Yet I know that this is not the worst times of the year for a person to be fasting as I have experienced a worse one before *Fasting in Hobart in December can last over 15 hours a day* But that experience will only remain as a driving force to keep me going. May Ramadhan 2005 be a time for me to gain more internal strength and increase my devotion to God.

Ramadhan Mubarak


Reference:
Map reference, CIA - The World Factbook, Available [Online]: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos